Appreciation
by 80K Hikigaya
Summary: You never really appreciate the relationships you have until you face the idea that you could lose them.
1. Chapter 1

**WTF 80K. You're supposed be working on intertwined.**

 **Yes master. I'm sorry but the plot bunny was taunting me. I just had to.  
**

 **I think the basic idea has been used before in another fic here, but that one sort of went in a different direction than what my idea is.**

 **Warning: not entirely a happy story.**

* * *

There's a reason I prefer to spend my weekends at home. Or more accurately, there are countless reasons to spend my weekends at home, and not nearly enough reasons not to. For starters, there is nothing outside of my house to coerce me into leaving. Everything I could think of that I could do outside, I could just as easily do at home.

Think about it. What is there to do in town anyway? Restaurant? There's food in the cupboard. Arcade? I have a new game in my room, and it's a pretty good one. Library? I still have an unread light novel from last month. Friends? Hah, no. The list goes on.

So when my dear little sister Komachi barges into my room, interrupting my game and requesting that I go to town and fetch her some ingredients for a chocolate cake recipe she wanted to try, you can already guess what I'm going to say in response.

"No way."

"Please, Onii-chan!" Komachi begs pathetically.

"I just said no." I repeat myself. I don't like to take an irritated tone with her but if she persists any further, it might seep out.

" _Please_!"

I sigh heavily. "Why can't you do it yourself?"

"Because, Onii-chan. I have my reasons."

What kind of reasoning is that? Who are you going to convince with that sort of argument?

"If you don't tell me the reasons, I won't go."

In the first place, I was enjoying a visual novel on my PS4. You didn't seem to be doing anything at all.

"Because I love you, Onii-chan." As she says this, she tilts her head down and looks up at me shyly. Oi, don't play with my heart like that.

"Ah, I just earned a ton of points!" She exclaims.

"Points deducted for foul intentions." I deadpan.

"Onii-chan, I never ask you for favors. Please, just this once?"

First of all, that's completely untrue. You get me to everything you can't be bothered to do. Secondly, I already said no.

"What's in it for me?"

"A delicious cake, and I won't date any boys until I graduate middle school!" She beams happily.

Oh, actually that's a pretty good deal. Something to eat, and a worry off my mind.

"...So I just have to go to the shop and buy this stuff, right?" I gesture to the shopping list that she gave me before she started begging me to go and fetch the items on said list.

"That's right! So you'll do it?" She leans forward and asks excitedly, with sparkles in her eyes. Dammit, I've been had. My guard went down for just a moment, and she went in for the kill.

"I guess I could do it."

"Thank you so much, Onii-chan!" She leaps onto me, and squeezes me with all the strength her noodly little arms will allow. So cute.

"Yeah, yeah. Let me go get ready." I resist hugging her back, and wait for her to either let go or fall off. If I hugged her back, it'd be creepy. It's not fair how she gets away with so many things I can't just because she's cute.

* * *

So I'm on the train heading to town. I hear people complaining about public transport in Japan all the time, but I couldn't appreciate it more, at least, when it's not overpacked. It's a cheap and convenient way to get across the city, or even the country, and gives you the freedom to alternate between standing and sitting which is good for your legs, unlike buses which require you to stay seated, all facing the same direction the entire time.

Worse still is that if a bus is filled to capacity, you are forced to invade the intimate space of a total stranger, earning disgusted looks, and sometimes even provoking hurtful responses like "Why did you have to sit here?" or "Please don't sit too close" or even "You're gross, don't look at me".

Source: Um, I saw it on TV.

On the other hand, if a train is crowded, your only issue is that you have to stand up, and perhaps have to press yourself up to the wall. Ah, but there was that one time there was a groper on the train, and some girl screamed, and all the 'gentleman' on the train immediately scrutinized m-...the wrong person, and he was almost wrongfully arrested.

But when the train is somewhat vacant like now, it's the premier way to travel. It's a smooth ride too, so if I wanted to, I could pull out my pocket-sized light novel from my sweater and read peacefully. The ride is short, though, about 15 minutes. So I decide not to get immersed.

* * *

I get off the train, and it's a short walk from the market where I'm headed. I'm there in no time and decide to waste no time in getting the ingredients.

As I'm in the baking aisle, I look across the aisle and spot Yuigahama. What a coincidence. I wonder if...yep. There's Yukinoshita, being pulled along as she usually is. I wonder what they're doing here. On second thought, I don't really. I've tried joining them in their free time. They do such uninteresting and girlish things that I end up simply leaving almost every time.

I turn around and decide to go the other way in my quest for ingredients.

"Hikki!"

Too late.

I sigh. Slowly turning around, I see Yuigahama skipping towards me. Yukinoshita on the other hand, is still at the end of the aisle and it looks like she has no intention of approaching me. Fine by me, stay over there. I don't need a verbal beatdown right now anyway.

"Hi Hikki!" Yuigahama says. Hey, how come I'm the only one who doesn't get a 'yahallo'?

"Yo." I offer lamely.

"How come you're here?" She asks rudely.

After realizing how rude she was, she makes an embarrassed face.

"Ah, I mean, it's like, you're usually such a shut-in, so it's weird seeing you here."

Excellent retcon, Yuigahama. That was much less rude the second time around.

"I'm allowed to go to the market and buy ingredients, aren't I?" I say defensively.

"Eh? I thought Komachi was gonna do that."

Wait, what? What a suspicious statement. Could I have been set up?

"Why would you think that?" I ask accusingly.

"Because I was messaging her, duh. She said she was in town shopping, and that she was here in this shop. So we came looking for her!"

I've definitely been had. Darn it Komachi, stop complicating my relationships!

"...I see. Out of curiosity, when did she tell you this?"

"About 5 minutes ago." She answers obliviously.

I see. I thought it was suspicious that I had to come all the way to this market. There's a shop closer to our house that sells the same ingredients at slightly inflated prices. I had foolishly assumed that she had considered that shop already, and concluded that this shop was the better choice overall. If only I had asked more questions and defended myself from her imouto-beam[1].

"Sorry to break it to you, but you've been bamboozled, and so have I."

"Huh? What does that mean?"

For your sake, I hope you mean 'how have I been bamboozled?' and not 'what does bamboozled mean?'

"Komachi sent me here almost 20 minutes ago."

She gives me a curious stare for a moment. Then, she gasps.

"Uwah! So she wanted us to meet up?" She exclaims in a way that mildly irritates me.

Before I can reply, somebody else does.

"It seems Komachi-san holds some manner of grudge towards us, if she intended for us to encounter the likes of you." Yukinoshita had at some point, decided to butt in.

Oi, what happened to staying over there? Was that just to make a point? It defeats the purpose if you come over here anyway.

"It doesn't matter. I'm getting these ingredients and going straight home. Bye." I offer curtly, and turn to leave.

"Ah-" Yukinoshita seems like she had something else to say.

Her clipped sound catches my attention, and I turn around. She doesn't say anything when I do.

"...You need something?"

Yuigahama answers for her. "Well, wouldn't it be a shame to just leave after such a coincidence?"

What coincidence? This was all a scheme, remember?

"Why would it be a shame? I see you two at school every weekday."

Yuigahama pouts. "But that's at school! Those are work hours, right now is time to enjoy ourselves and do what we want."

"Well said, Yuigahama. That's why I'm going straight home after this."

"No, you can't! I'm telling Komachi!" She huffs, and whips out her phone.

You're gonna _tell Komachi_? She's not my mother, you know. If anything, it's the opposite. I'm the one who greeted her every day when she got home from school. I'm the one who watched her grow and taught her the hard truth about how the world works. I'm the one she came to when she wanted to talk to about her problems. I basically raised her, with a little help from some anonymous benefactors who refer to themselves as our parents.

"Ah, wait. Don't..." I mutter without thinking. Hang on, mouth. Why are you betraying my thoughts?

Ah but actually, I don't really want her to complain about me to Komachi. She tolerates my anti-social behavior about as much as I compromise it for her. If she heard from Yui that I blew her off, she might give me the silent treatment again. I've seen what happens when exposed to the silent treatment for too long. I don't wanna end up like my old man.

Yuigahama smirks, as if she somehow backed me into a corner using her own wits. Get real, you threatened me with someone else's authority. You're acting like those snobby rich kids who always end up getting their own way.

Speaking of snobs, Yukinoshita voices her complaints. "Must we really tolerate his presence on a day off?" She sighs and closes her eyes, as if losing patience with someone. I feel like mirroring her actions.

"You think I want to spend my free time being disrespected by some snooty rich girl?" I remark.

She looks at me with contempt. "You say that, but in reality you're excited to spend your weekend with two beautiful girls, aren't you Hikicreeper-kun?"

"As if-"

Before I can make a retort, she interrupts me. "On the other hand, what do we receive for gracing you with our presence? Besides foreign bacteria, that is."

The nerve of this girl. "Just tell Komachi you never saw me then. That way, I can go home and you two can get back to your date."

Yukinoshita's face flushes a little. Seems like I hit a weak point. "P-preposterous! We're simply out on an excursion, we're not-"

This time, I interrupt her. "Don't care."

She doesn't have anything to say after that. That's one foe down. Next up is the pushy one.

"So what do you say, Yuigahama? Let's pretend we never saw each other and go our separate ways." I offer in a negotiating tone.

Perhaps it was a poor choice of words, or perhaps it was my unfriendly tone. But regardless of the reason, Yuigahama gives me a heartbroken look in response. Her eyes begin to water and I think I see her facial muscles trying not to contort into a crying expression.

"Why... _why_ would you say that?" She asks shakily.

I don't understand her reaction. But the expression on her face makes me feel weak.

"Yuigahama-san?" Yukinoshita seems concerned.

"Oi, don't cry..." I make a weak attempt to calm Yuigahama.

"Do you hate us, Hikki?" She asks in an accusing, almost angry tone.

"What? No, of course I don't."

"Then why?" Her tone goes from accusing to almost...pleading.

I try to justify myself. "I just," I sigh, "look. I was kind of looking forward to some time alone after a long week, but I can tag along with you two if it makes you happy."

Eyes still watery, she frowns and looks away. "Forget it. It's pointless if you don't want to."

The way she says that breaks my heart.

Yukinoshita seems to feel the way I do.

"Yuigahama-san..."

I can't find the right words to use. Silence blankets the atmosphere.

After a tense moment, Yuigahama turns around.

"Let's go, Yukinon."

Yukinoshita looks at me and furrows her brow, as if trying to say to me 'fix this'. I want to, but how?

"Yuigahama." I begin, not knowing how to continue.

She stops walking. "I'll tell Komachi-chan we missed each other."

"Wait, please." My mouth produces words without my permission.

"Go home, Hikki." And with that, she walks off.

I don't know what to say to stop her. So I don't.

Yukinoshita gives me one final look. It looks something like a combination of disappointment and pity. Then she turns to leave too.

I stay there for a moment and stew over what just happened.

Why did Yuigahama seem so crestfallen? Because I chose not to hang out with her? If she wanted my company that bad, why didn't she invite me out in the first place?

No, that wouldn't have worked, and she knows it. She knows full well I don't like to go out on weekends. But if she knew that, why was she so unhappy about it? Or was she unhappy about something else?

I can't figure it out at all. And decidedly, it pisses me off. I don't know what I'm pissed off about, and that pisses me off even more.

This is why I prefer to be a loner. I was fine before I had this sort of aggravation in my life.

"Tch. Whatever." I find the ingredient I was looking for, and slam it into my basket.

* * *

With my mood soured and my objective complete, I head home. The entire walk to the station, I'm replaying the encounter in my head. Was it my fault? How could it have possibly been my fault? If it was, what should I have done? Dammit, this is so annoying.

Not looking where I'm going, I bump into someone. In my current mood, it tips my anger beyond my patience.

A gruff, heavy voice berates me. "Watch where you're going, punk."

I look up. The guy is beyond suspicious. Thick brown trenchcoat and a wide-brimmed hat. You want sunglasses and a fake beard with that, asshole?

"Watch it yourself." I spit with irritation. "Punk." I remark snidely.

"Grr." He emits a low growl, but I couldn't care less. I just head to the train station.

* * *

After the usual ticket/security process, I take a seat on the train, and finally my mood starts mellow out.

I let out a sigh. I wonder what I should say to Yuigahama on Monday? Or should I message her later on today? Maybe I should wait until tomorrow, let her cool off.

In the first place, what's her damn problem? I can't solve a problem I don't understand. You have to help me out here, you know.

"Ew. You're totally gross mister, don't sit next to us." An airy voice interrupts my internal conflict.

I look to my right. Two young girls, around Komachi's age, are looking at me with contempt and disgust. What the hell? Are you talking to me? I briefly scan the train, there are a lot of vacant seats available.

Looking back at the two girls, I register their details. The one who spoke to me looks strikingly similar to Orimoto back in middle school, right down to the hairstyle, though her fierce eyes are more reminiscent of Miura. Her friend, on the other hand, I can't make any resemblances to. Her hair is short and black, and her face is unassuming. If she weren't giving me such a nasty look, I'd probably think she had the face of a nice person.

Normally I would just submit, and wordlessly find another seat without making a fuss. But I'm not in the mood for that today.

"You move then. I'm not in the mood." I reply in an annoyed tone.

Unfortunately, the one talking to me seems to be the bossy type. "Hah? No way. We were here first, loser. Take your shopping and move your ass to another seat."

I snap. "Shut up." I growl.

She doesn't have a response straight away. I think I caught her off guard. Good.

After a moment, she responds. "Don't tell me to shut up! Get out of here, creep! I'll scream."

Dammit. The 'defenseless young girl' card. Clever as I am, there's not much I can do to combat that sort of play on such short notice.

I sigh. "Fine, whatever. I'll move."

It really is unfair how even though she's clearly in the wrong, we both know she'll get her way just because she's pretty and I have rotten eyes. Curse these eyes of mine.

I stand up and take a seat on the opposite side.

"Further." She demands.

"No." I answer with irritation. I'm safe here. Even if she were to scream now, people clearly saw me move over here, so they'd know it wasn't my fault,

She doesn't seem to press the issue, so I settle in at my new spot. After a minute or two, I consider reading my pocket novel to distract myself. If I didn't, then I'd have brought it along for no reason.

Before I can decide, out of nowhere, a woman screams at the top of her voice.

I snap to the source, and a man is waving a handgun around. I can't see his face, but there's no mistaking that it's the same guy I bumped into earlier.

Is that gun real? It couldn't be. For starters, how could he possibly-

 **BANG**

Holy shit. It's real. It's definitely real. He just fired a shot out of the window. The window exploded, and the passengers began to scream. The entire carriage went into a frenzy.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!" The gunman bellows with a mighty voice.

Everyone freezes.

I'm overcome with terror. I think everyone is.

Once he has everyone's attention, he speaks up.

"Alright, here's the deal. One by one, you're all gonna fork over your cash and your valuables. We do that, and nobody gets killed here today." He shakes his pistol within his grip, emphasizing his point.

With his free hand, he pulls what looks like an old pillow case out of his coat. "Money goes in here. Got it?"

He doesn't get a response, and of course he wouldn't. Everyone's too afraid to speak.

He snaps his pistol to the nearest passenger, a woman. I think it's the same one that screamed in the first place. She squeals in response to the sudden movement.

"You first. Money. Now."

Quivering in terror, she shakily reaches into her purse and grabs her wallet. Looking inside, she clutches all the notes she has. She puts her head down and extends her hand out. Her arm is shaking violently.

"In. The bag. Bitch." He threatens her again. He's firmly aiming his firearm at the woman.

She lifts her gaze just enough to see where the bag is. She puts her arm in carefully, and drops the money inside.

"Alright. Get in the fucking corner." He points to the farthest corner of the train, which is vacant. He uses his pistol to point at the corner. If anyone had the guts, right now would be a good time to take him down. But most likely, nobody here has ever experienced an armed robbery before. Firearms are impossibly rare in Japan, after all.

She pauses for a moment. Slowly, she walks sideways to where he pointed. After she gets some distance, she breaks into a run. When she reaches the corner, she leans on the wall and sinks to the floor. She then begins to sob quietly.

...Even terrified, I can't help but wonder. Did he really think this would work out for him? In the first place, this train is on a railway suspended twenty feet over the ground. If someone pulls the emergency break, he's trapped on the train, unless he wants to try tight-walking across the train line in broad daylight holding a handgun and a pillowcase full of money.

And even if he got off the train with the money, how is he going to get away from the police? In this day and age, alerting the authorities is as easy as pressing a button on your cellphone. They even have government-endorsed apps that silently alert authorities for situations like this.

This guy must have been at the end of his rope to do something as desperate and insane as this without thinking it through.

CHA-CHING

I'm broken out of my thoughts again by what sounds like a camera shutter.

Everybody present, including the gunman, turns to the source.

The girl, the black haired friend of the one who shooed me off before, is holding her cellphone in front of her, and it looks like she just snapped a picture.

You stupid, stupid girl.

Do you realize what you just did? Why would you do that? she's right in front of him, and she has the nerve to snap a friggin' picture? Even worse, she didn't turn off the shutter sound. Why? _Why_ would you do that!?

Her face is so terrified that it invokes terror in myself.

"A-...Aya-chan..." Her friend mutters. "Wh-why did-"

"YOU FUCKING BITCH!" The gunman snaps. "YOU JUST TOOK A PICTURE DIDN'T YOU!?"

He points the gun right at her head.

I can't even describe the terror on her face.

Why is nobody stopping him?

"...Delete it."

She doesn't move. She's paralyzed with fear.

"Delete it now OR I'LL BLOW YOUR FUCKING HEAD OFF!" He spits when he talks.

Still, she's unable to move.

He's going to kill her.

Why won't anybody do anything?

"Fine. Have it your way, bitch."

Even her friend won't do or say anything to defend her.

That girl is an idiot. She's staring down the barrel of a gun because of her own stupidity. She underestimated the gravity of the situation and is about to pay the ultimate price. Honestly, she needs a hard lesson to shape her up.

But she doesn't deserve to die.

I have to do something.

Somehow finding the courage to move, I begin to walk up to him. What am I even going to do? I have no idea how to deal with an armed robber. I couldn't even deal with an unarmed robber. What am I doing? This is insane.

He cocks his gun.

I'm out of time. I have to act.

"Hey!" I shout at him.

Immediately, he snaps both his gaze and...his gun in my direction.

Oh shit.

I panic.

I think I jumped at him.

I think I tried to grab the gun.

I think he yelled something.

What I do know, is that I heard a gunshot.

 **BANG**

A little jolt.

Everything stops.

I look at him with confusion.

He doesn't look angry anymore. He looks frightened. What happened?

"I-...He jumped at me! I panicked! You all saw that, right!?"

What is he talking about?

I look down. Blood. On my abdomen.

It hurts. It hurts so much.

It hurts it hurts it hurTS IT HURTS IT HURTS **IT HURTS!**

I collapse in pain. Despite the pain, I'm unable to scream.

He drops his handgun, and stumbles backwards.

After another moment, the passengers of the train roar in righteous fury.

He gets jumped by a lot of people. Or, I think he does. I'm not focusing on him right now.

A guy checks up on me. Or, he tries to.

"Hey kid! Are you okay!?" He tries to examine me. He moves my hands from my gut.

Even though he doesn't touch the wound, the change in pressure exacerbates the pain, and I hiss in exasperation, spitting on the floor through clenched teeth.

He recoils in shock. "Shit! I'm sorry!" He sputters. "What should I do?"

How should I know, I've never seen someone get shot in real life before. Have you?

I can't articulate at the moment, though. All I can do is curl up on the floor and desperately try not to think about the pain.

The pain is so intense I wish I would just pass out already.

Some more people come to check on me. Seems like the bad guy was taken care of. I kind of want to see what they did to him, but he's behind me, and I lack the capacity to do something as simple as roll over and face the other direction.

"Oh my god!"

"Is he gonna be okay?"

"What should we do?"

Useless. The lot of you. Doesn't even one of you know first aid or something? I thought working adults were required to know that sort of stuff.

Then again, I don't think they cover gunshots in Japanese first aid courses.

The bleeding won't stop.

Am I going to die here?

Am I going to die on the way home from a shopping errand?

Am I going to die after wasting my entire life in school?

Am I going to die without ever seeing life after adolescence?

Am I going to die on bad terms with my clubmates?

Oh. I get it. I realize why Yuigahama was so unhappy before. It hurts to think the people you care about don't feel the same way. I'm such an idiot. I wish I could say sorry. I wish I went out with them today. I wish I had spent more time with them and told them how much I care about them.

Heh, if I die here, then I'd have died like I lived.

Full of regrets.

Well, I don't regret saving a life, at least.

It doesn't hurt anymore.

I feel kind of peaceful.

The people around me are still shouting, I can't hear what they're saying.

I see a mirage. My clubmates are standing in front of a bright light. Their arms are outstretched towards me. They're smiling so warmly. See, Yuigahama, that's the face I like to see on you. Yukinoshita, you should really smile more. It looks good on you.

I feel sleepy.

I'm so exhausted. Where am I? I can't see or hear anything. I must be dreaming. I think I'll go back to sleep.

Good night.

* * *

 **WTF BOSS YOU CAN'T DIE**

 **Okay, so whether this one will continue...yes, at least for now. I have maybe another chapter or two worth of ideas which I will definitely write even if nobody likes this story, and we will see if I develop more after I have written those.**

 **You might not trust me given how I put Obsession on the backburner, but the thing is with that fic I had absolutely nothing planned after that cliffhanger. It was supposed to be a oneshot you see. If I ever get any good ideas for that one, I'll write it up immediately.**

 **I haven't taken any less consideration to Intertwined, which btw, huge thank you to all the positive reviews on that one. You have no idea how satisfying it is to hear about how much people love your story. Or maybe you do. Anyway, I'm just trying to work out how to tackle the next part in that story. In fact, this idea came to my head while I was brainstorming and it wouldn't go away.**

 **Also, do you guys think my 8man is more accurate in this one? He's intentionally OOC in the other one and will only get more OOC, so I had no idea if I had the capacity to write his character.**

[1] reference to mikuru beam from Haruhi.


	2. Chapter 2

**Right. So obviously, 8man wasn't just gonna die like that right?**

 **BTW, to the people who wanted him to die:**

 **(** ಠ_ಠ **)**

 **I don't write tragedies, m8. Or at least, not yet. Perhaps if I feel like it, I might do an alternate ending where he bleeds out. In saying that, this fic still isn't finished. I'll get a minimum of 2 more chapters out of this one.  
**

 **Ah, I just reminded myself I owe a certain somebody an Isshiki oneshot. Dammit, sorry. Sidetracked. At least I have the idea now, so don't give up on me.  
**

* * *

I fade into consciousness.

My body feels heavy. I don't feel like moving at all. Despite my fatigue, I try to open my eyes. Urgh, too bright. I can't help but groan.

I hear a gasp.

"Hachiman!?"

Who...

Is someone calling me?

"Hachiman!"

I recognize the voice, vaguely.

Finally, my eyes adjust to the brightness. I see white tiles. It only takes a moment to recognize that I'm at a hospital. What happened?

I try to look around. My head feels too heavy to move. I can only turn my eyes.

I look to the side of my bed. My mother is next to me. She looks like she's about to cry.

I try to say something to her.

"Kaa-san..." I can barely manage one word before I have to take a deep breath in recovery. Why am I so tired?

"Hachiman!" She shouts. It rings in my ears, too loud.

Seemingly hysterical, she nearly jumps out of her seat. Grabbing my hand right hand with both of hers, she holds it to her chest, before bringing it to her face and pressing herself into it. She kisses my hand. Ew mom, don't be weird.

Her face scrunches up as if she were about to cry.

"I was so scared." Her voice is quivering.

Hey, don't cry. It's weird seeing you look so helpless.

"Kaa-san..." I breathe in again, "I'm...fine." I try to comfort her.

"My baby!" Her voice raises in pitch as she says this, and she starts to cry.

I let her have her moment. I try to think why I'm here in the first place. It doesn't come to me just yet, but I feel like I know the reason.

After a long moment of sobbing and sniffling, my mother catches my attention -or what little I can offer- with her gaze.

"What...happened?" I barely manage to wheeze out my question.

"Baby, you're a hero." She whispers, giving me a warm smile.

A hero? Me?

Flashes of my most recent memories return to me. That's right. I was on the train. Some lunatic was attempting a stickup and I ended up getting shot.

"Oh...yeah. I rem-...member"

She patiently waits for me to finish.

"Who knows how many lives you might have saved." She praises me and I feel good about it. I can't remember the last time I was praised by my parents.

"But son," she changes her tone "I'd rather let them all die than risk losing you again." She kisses my hand again.

What a terrible thing to say. I hope you didn't go around saying that to other people.

"That's...awful...Kaa-san." I try to joke, but I lack the energy to laugh or even grin at my own remark.

She smiles, though. "It's true."

Why can't you be this affectionate all the time? It'd be nice just to hear you say 'I love you son' occasionally. We barely even talk anymore.

"Kaa-san..."

"Yes, my sweet?"

"I'm...kind of...tired." I wheeze out.

"You still haven't recovered enough blood." She tells me. So that's what it was. "Go back to sleep, sweetheart. I'll be here."

So I do.

* * *

Next time I wake up, I feel a lot better.

I flutter into the realm of consciousness. Kaa-san is still there, like she said she would be. She fell asleep on the chair. Wow, you look uncomfortable there.

"Ah, Hikigaya-kun. You're awake." An aged, yet gentle voice catches my attention.

The doctor is something of an old fogey. When I get a good look at him, I realize he's not Japanese at all.

He debriefs me on my condition. Apparently, the bullet went through my abdominal muscles, and I lost a lot of blood because of my blood pressure. Supposedly, I'm _lucky_ because the bullet was small. The bullet lost a lot of velocity because it went through the pocket novel in my sweater pocket. If I didn't have that, the bullet might have gone into my stomach and my stomach acids would have spilled onto my other guts, and I probably would have died.

Damn. I wasn't finished with that novel.

He feeds me a bunch of medical jargon after that, and tells me I have to do some rehabilitation exercises when I'm able. Aside from some damaged muscle tissue, I should be able to eventually make a full recovery. As much as I try to suppress my inner chuuni, I can't help but feel like a scar from a bullet wound is pretty badass.

I ask him if I could keep the bullet. He tells me after they removed it, the authorities confiscated it as evidence for their investigation. The doctor doesn't know the details of the case, so I don't get any more information regarding the shooter from him. I'm not really that curious anyway. I'd rather have as little to do with him as possible.

I was about to ask if I had any visitors, but before I do, I decide I'd rather have that conversation with my mother.

Without any more immediate questions about my health, the doctor adjusts my medical setup and writes some stuff down. Basically, he does his job.

* * *

A while after the Doctor left, Kaa-san woke up.

She groans, and slowly rubs her eyes.

"Morning."

She snaps to attention at the sound of my voice.

"Hachiman! You're awake!" She exclaims.

"And so are you." I quip.

"Oh, you sound so much better now." She sighs in relief.

Huh? Did I sound bad before? Oh, right. I remember I woke up and I had a conversation with...was it Kaa-san? I can't remember anything about it. It feels like it was a dream.

"Yeah, I feel better too."

"I'm so glad to hear that, Hachiman."

"Hey, Kaa-san. How long have you been there?" I change the topic.

"Eh? Ah-" She makes an embarrassed face. What the hell Kaa-san, nobody your age has the right to look so cute.

"Well, they wouldn't let me stay overnight, but I've been here all day every day since you were admitted." She says shyly.

"Is that so. How long ago was that?" I ask, trying to hide my suspecting tone.

She looks away and scratches her cheek. "Erm...About four days, maybe?"

"FOUR DA- **ARGH!** " I try to sit up as I sputter but the intense pain in my gut forces me back down.

"Hachiman!" She panics out of concern.

"Ngh! I'm okay, I think." I try to assure her.

She doesn't buy it. "No, you're not! I'll call the nurse." She scolds me, and then reaches over and presses a button on the wall.

I already know how the thing works. You press the button on the wall, and some miserable nurse has to drop whatever she's doing to come and cater to your every whim. Personally, I endeavor to avoid using the button unless I feel like I absolutely have to, not just because I can't stand the nurses glaring at me, but also because I can't help but pity them, seeing all the other patients abusing the power of the button for mundane purposes.

A brief silence comes over us.

Kaa-san is the one to break it. "...Hey, when school is out, Komachi says she's coming straight here."

Ah, Komachi. I'm sure her presence and undying love will be enough to instantly heal my wounds, and I can be out of here in no time.

"Good. I could definitely appreciate a look at her cute face right about now."

Oh, whoops. I forgot Kaa-san doesn't tolerate my sis-con behavior- I mean, my doting brother attitude. It's unfair for her to scrutinize me for that, though. Since the day she was born, both of our parents have been playing favorites, and neither one chose me.

Instead of berating me, she smiles somberly. "Her face has been anything but cute since she heard what happened to you."

"What do you mean?"

"She's been miserable ever since. She felt like it was her fault because she's the one who sent you uptown."

Ah, Komachi you adorable little thing. I would never blame you, even if I had died for real.

"That's stupid. It was my own fault for being an idiot. Besides, if I weren't there, that kid might have been killed instead."

Kaa-san perks up at this. "Ah, you mean the young girl? She came to visit, you know."

That piques my curiosity. "Did she now?"

"Yeah." She smiles. "A lot of people did. You really are more loved than you think, you know."

Hearing that makes me feel strange. I can't tell if I feel good or bad. It's like, gratitude mixed with guilt.

Then, the smile drops off her face in an instant. "By the way, what's with all the beautiful girls who came to visit?"

Huh?

"Huh? Like who?"

She frowns. "I don't know! There were far too many, and most of them were crying over you! Son, I'll say this once, but you better be living a wholesome lifestyle." It sounds like a threat, and I can't tell if it's a serious one or not.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." I misdirect her with my answer. I'm not some shitty harem king, but I can't exactly say my school life is wholesome.

Before she can follow up, the nurse arrives.

"What seems to be the problem?" She asks politely with a forced smile. She's probably irritated at being called out, but can't show it because Kaa-san is here.

Kaa-san answers for me. "Ah, he's in pain from his injury. He tried to move."

Actually, the pain already subsided. Leave it to a frantic mother to exaggerate her son's problems.

"It's fine now, though." I try to shrug it off.

"Well, I'll see if I can do something about the pain." The nurse offers. "I'll be right back."

"Okay, thank you." Kaa-san says gratefully.

The nurse walks off. I wonder if she's going to get permission from a doctor to give me something, or if she's allowed to just do it herself. I wouldn't even know. Maybe that was just a fib, and she's going back to have a cigarette and ignore my problems. I know I said I was fine, but you have a job to do, woman!

That reminds me. "Kaa-san, aren't you supposed to be at work?"

"When I told my boss, he said I could work from home until you're better."

What the hell? It's that easy? You've never been able to take breaks before. When I broke my leg, you never even visited because you were always working overtime.

She continues. "Apparently, his daughter was on that train."

Oh. Okay, that explains it, I guess.

"Huh. What a coincidence."

Not that I have any idea who his daughter is. Most likely, I never even interacted with her. She owes me nothing. I say that, because if the roles were reversed, I wouldn't feel even the slightest bit indebted to her.

"I've never met his daughter, but supposedly she goes to the same school as Komachi."

"That's nice." I offer, though I don't particularly care.

"Her name is Fujisaki Aya."

"That's nice." I repeat myself. I think Kaa-san gets the hint this time.

She huffs. "You should care! You probably saved her life, you know."

"Good for her, I guess."

Kaa-san grins. "Maybe you could use that as leverage to get her to date you?"

Pardon me? It sounded like you said something despicable there.

"Come again?"

"Just saying." She tries to casually shrug off what she just said.

"Kaa-san, I hope that was a joke."

Weren't you the one who was just berating me about wholesome lifestyles or something?

"Oh _come on_! She's a little young, but maybe what you need is a girlfriend to fix that attitude of yours."

"Kaa-san..." I say her name with a tone that implies I'm warning her to stop.

"Fine, nevermind." She pouts and folds her arms, as if she were a child being told off.

* * *

A short while later, the door flies open with a big thud.

It's Komachi. We make eye contact and she freezes in place.

Ah, there's a face I could never get tired of.

"Yo."

"Oniiiiiii- _chaaaan_!" Komachi wails. Oi, don't make a fuss, okay? You're embarrassing the both of us.

She sprints over to my bed and jumps onto my chest.

"Oof!" Oi, be careful! I'm wounded.

Wrapping her arms around my next and under my shoulder, she squeezes with all her might and buries her face into my neck.

"Oi, oi! Be careful I'm wounded!" I try to berate her.

She panics. "Ah! I'm sorry!" Immediately, she lifts her head up and recoils.

Instead of saying anything, I wrap my own arms around her and pull her into myself.

She buries her head back into my neck. She starts to sob. Muttering incomprehensible gibberish, which is muffled anyway because her face is pressed into my chest.

I let her have her moment.

After a while, she lifts her head.

She brings a hand to my face and cups my cheek. Her face is completely flushed and her eyes are glossy. Her expression is one that's hard to describe, but I don't think it's a face that a little sister should be making at her brother.

...Oi. You're making me uncomfortable here.

She sniffles. " _Onii-chaan_." Her voice is shaky. "I'm so sorry. It's my fault. I'm sorry!"

Once again, she buries her face into my neck and continues her muffled sobbing.

I hate to see her cry.

I look over at Kaa-san. Seems like she's getting a little teary herself. Since when did you two get so soft? This is embarrassing, since when were we a family of big wusses?

"Hey, come on. It's not your fault at all." I try to comfort Komachi.

"Yes it is!" She says. Or at least I think that's what she said. It was muffled so I can't be sure.

I decide I've already had enough of her self-pity. I push her up off of me and catch her intense gaze with my own.

"Listen to me. It's not your fault. Do you hear me? There's no way anyone could possibly blame your for what that lunatic did."

"But Oni-"

"No buts! Ngh!" I tried to shout. Big mistake. The pain in my abs flares up.

"Onii-chan!" She recoils off of me. Instead opting to hover over my bed without touching me.

I grunt a little, as if to shoo away the pain. "I'm fine."

I catch her gaze a second time. "Komachi. Don't blame yourself, okay?"

Her tears continue to fall. "But Onii-chan..."

"You'll make me sad if you do, okay? I hate to see you unhappy."

She doesn't say anything. After a moment, she just nods, sniffling and wiping her tears away.

We don't say much for a while after that. We just let the moment linger.

Eventually, Komachi breaks the silence.

"Ah! Onii-chan, Yui-chan and Yukino-chan said they'll visit!" She beams. She's finally smiling.

Ah, right. What should I say to those two? I want to make things right, but I'm not exactly sure how.

As if on cue, the door opens again. Not with a violent slam, this time, but slowly. Almost carefully.

Yuigahama is standing at the door. We make eye contact.

Her eyes quickly begin to water.

"Hikki...!"

Ugh. Not you too. I've had more than enough tearful encounters for the foreseeable...ever.

She runs over to the other side of my bed. Luckily, she doesn't bodyslam me like Komachi did. She has a much heavier chest, so the extra weight could be bad for my injury.

Of course, just because she has more self control than my sister, doesn't mean she doesn't break down like a miserable child.

"Hikki, I'm so glad you're okay." She's sniffling as she speaks. If it weren't such a tender moment, I'd think it was kind of gross.

"Okay is subjective. I still have a hole in my gut, you know." I try to cheer her up with my twisted sense of humor. In hindsight, probably not the best way to go about it.

All it does is cause her to panic. "Oh my gosh, of course! Are you going to be okay?" She leans back, as if it would somehow alleviate me.

I almost chuckle at her simple-mindedness. Almost. "Yeah. The doc said I'll eventually make a full recovery."

Hearing that, she quickly calms down. "I see. I'm so glad, Hikki."

Feeling a little shy at the show of affection -especially in front of Komachi and Kaa-san- I try to shrug it off. "I'll live and nobody else got hurt, so there's no problem right?"

For some reason, her face doesn't show relief. Instead, she looks almost angry at what I said. "Don't say that! Don't you _dare_ say it's fine!" Whoa, what's your problem?

Her tone makes it sound as though I said something offensive. "Do you have any idea how I felt when I heard what happened!? How I couldn't stop crying!? How I couldn't stop thinking that I lost you!? That I had to go on living without you!? Do you even...!" Her voice is trembling as much as her body is. The tears are flowing freely and she begins to sob uncontrollably.

"Yuigahama..." I had no idea she cared so much. And to think, I tried to brush her off because I wanted to go home and be my lazy, introverted, pathetic self. I'm such an asshole.

Next thing I know, I'm wrapping my arms around her and pulling her into my chest for a hug. I don't know why I did. We've never hugged before, I don't even know if we've ever made physical contact before. But I can never trust my own words, and I wanted to comfort her. I wanted to somehow explain to her that everything was going to be okay.

She gasps at the sudden contact, and jumps a little. I almost reconsider my decision. It might have been inappropriate now that I think about it.

Before I can retract my gesture, she wraps her arms around the underside of my body.

I thought after a moment the hug would end, but instead, Yuigahama leans forward and gets a better grip on me. wrapping her arms tightly around my chest and clutching my hospital gown, she soaks in the moment. The moment seems to last forever. At some point, she stopped crying.

Then, she breathes in deeply. Oi, are you sniffing me!? Stop!

She doesn't stop, though. And if I'm being honest, I don't mind it just this once.

The one to break that moment is in fact, Kaa-san.

"Oi, Hachiman. You sure you don't have a girlfriend?" She makes a smug face.

"Ah-!"

Hearing that, Yuigahama and I separate at the speed of light. Her face is flushed a deep red, and I think mine is too.

" _Kaa-san_!" I whine in embarrassment. How could you say something awkward like that right then?

"I'm just kidding! Maybe." She does this face. She's not quite smiling but she's clearly making fun of me in her head. I think that's where I inherited that face from.

Komachi is less subtle, and the grin on her face is absolutely rotten.

I chance a look at Yuigahama, and she immediately looks away.

What the hell this is so awkward!

"Ehehe..." Yuigahama laughs unnaturally, and stares at the far wall. Whether it's out of embarrassment or poor humor, she has an awkward smile on her face.

...

"Oh, right! Um, Yukinon was going to come visit too, but her family needed her for some business stuff." Yuigahama quickly changes the topic.

Oh yeah. Yukinoshita. To be honest I should have expected that she wouldn't visit. It's a little disappointing, okay it's very disappointing but it can't be helped. That's just the kind of relationship we have.

I smile somberly. "Is that so. Can't be helped, I guess."

Immediately, Yuigahama forgets her earlier shyness. "No, you've got it all wrong, Hikki! Yukinon really wanted to visit! She's been coming here every day, same as me." Yuigahama insists. I honestly find that hard to believe.

"Really? _That_ Yukinoshita has?" I try not to sound disbelieving, but I can't help it. The most affection she's ever shown me is when she told me she didn't mean to run me over with her limo.

Yuigahama pouts. "Of course she has! She's been miserable without you, you know? She...we didn't go to school on Monday. I think that's what her business is about. I think her parents are angry." Yuigahama explains, melancholy in her voice.

I still don't believe it. Yukinoshita and I don't get along. It's a fact nobody knows better than me. We can't have one conversation without it turning into banter, and then turning into an insult competition. Sure, it's amusing sometimes, but that doesn't at all mean it's a display of affection.

Does it?

"She probably... still doesn't know you're awake."

If that were true, then it's probably due to lack of interest. I mean, I woke up earlier, right? Kaa-san would have told Komachi, and Komachi would have told you. If you knew, why didn't you tell her?

"Nobody told her?"

Yuigahama furrows her brow in confusion. "Hah? I just found out when I got here. How could Yukinon possibly know?"

Wait, what?

"Didn't Komachi tell you?" I look at Komachi. She looks just as confused as me.

"I didn't know either! I just saw Onii-chan's open eyes when I opened the door, and my heart bloomed in happiness." She says poetically. "Ah! How many points was that?"

Instead of making a retort, I instead look to the next link in the faulty chain of communication.

"...Kaa-san..."

Kaa-san laughs sheepishly, as if realizing her folly. "Aha, um, you see... When you woke up, I was so happy that I forgot to call Komachi, and I ended up falling asleep by your bed. Sorry." She smiles and scratches her cheek. A guilty expression, if I ever saw one.

"Kaa-chan!" Komachi squeals in disapproval.

Well, that's that mystery solved. Back to the topic at hand.

"Ah, right. Don't forget to tell Yukinoshita." I turn my attention back to Yuigahama.

"What are you saying, let's call her now!" Yuigahama exclaims, whipping out her cellphone.

Wait...I'm not really ready for that. In the first place, what am I supposed to say to her? I don't want to be too familiar with her because I know she'll throw it in my face, but recent experience has taught me that I can't be too cold to girls. I also have to consider what Yuigahama said about her earlier. She could have been exaggerating. She could have even been outright lying. I have no idea what to say to Yukinoshita or even how to say it.

Too late, the phone's already dialling.

A moment passes, and as I rack my brain to figure out what to say to Yukinoshita, Yuigahama begins to speak.

"Yahallo, Yukinon!... Oh, you're finished your meeting already?... Oh, good... Yeah... Yeah, I'm standing by his bed right now... Well, about that..."

As she speaks, I try to guess what Yukinoshita was saying by the responses Yuigahama was giving. Before she says anything else, she puts the phone to my ear.

["-is he doing? Has he made any progress? Please, just let me know if he moves, anything at all. I don't know if I can take-"]

"Yo." I decide to cut her off.

["...Hikigaya-kun."]

"How's it going, Yukinoshita?"

["It's really you?"]

"Were you expecting someone else?" I try to lighten the mood with a little joke.

["No, of course not. It's just..."] She goes quiet for a moment.

"...Yukinoshita, you okay there?"

["..."]

"...Yukinoshita? Hello? You still there?"

I hear sniffling on the other line. Seriously? You too? If there was one person I was expecting to keep it together, it would have been you. I'm disappointed. Yet at the same time, I'm pleasantly surprised, if only a little.

["You're okay?"] Her voice is pleading.

"Yeah, I'm gonna be fine." I assure her.

["Thank goodness. *sniffle* Thank..."] Judging from the sound, it sounds like Yukinoshita began to quietly sob.

"Oi, suck it up. Has the snow queen been reduced to a mere puddle? Should I call you Mizutamari instead?"

"Hikki!"

"Onii-chan!"

Komachi and Yuigahama don't approve. But honestly it's the only way I know how to talk to her.

It's a gamble, taking a stab at her in this delicate state. If she's the Yukinoshita I know, she should return with a verbal jab of her own, and I'll know she's okay. But with the recent turn of events, she might be in a state I've never seen before, and I have no idea how she could react.

[*sniffle* "Ara? What might you be referring to? I was merely disappointed that you weren't unconscious for longer. I was rather enjoying my time off from babysitting you, after all."] Yukinoshita tries to adopt a condescending tone. Seems like my gamble paid off.

"Oh? So all that stuff about knowing if I move at all was just courtesy? It sure didn't sound like it." I grin. Gotcha.

She gasps, I think. ["Th-that was merely... b-because it would be a shame if you died! After all, I spent a great deal of my time and energy rehabilitating your rotten attitude throughout this year. Although it seems nothing can be done about your eyes, Hikirotten-kun."]

I grin. You're not fooling anyone, woman. "Is that right? Well, thanks for the courtesy. I'll never walk again, by the way."

It was probably in bad taste. ["Oh my goodness! Hikigaya-kun, I'm so sorry! I didn-"]

"Kidding. Sorry." I stop her before she can

"Hikki!"

"Onii-chan!"

What? I said sorry, didn't I?

["Ugh. To think I was ever concerned for you."]

"Your problem, not mine."

["Indeed. I won't make the same mistake twice."] I can almost hear her pouting.

"Oh, so the great Yukinoshita is admitting to making a mistake?"

["Yes. I should have given up on you from the beginning."]

Ouch.

"Whatever. I'm gonna hand the phone back to Yuigahama now." I look up at Yuigahama, as if to confirm it. She nods her head.

["Yes, please do. I can't stand your voice any longer."]

"Hey Yukinoshita?"

["What do you want?"]

"Thanks for caring. It means a lot."

["Of course. I'm glad you're okay."]

I pass the phone up to Yuigahama.

"Yahallo!... Yeah, I know right?... Well I had to tell him _something_! He thought you didn't even care!"

When she says that, I try to ignore the rest of her conversation. It's so embarrassing I wish I died of my injury!

Eventually, she says her goodbyes and ends the phone call.

"Ne, Hikki. How long are you gonna be in the hospital for?" Yuigahama asks immediately after ending her call. Does your mouth ever stop?

"A few days. The doctor said once I recover from the blood loss, I just need to do some muscle rehab and be careful with my injury."

"Ah, that's great! Yukinon said she'll come visit tomorrow. She won't say it, but she's dying to see you, you know?"

I scoff. "Hah! I'll believe it when I see it."

"Nargh! You know she'd never let you see her like that."

"Which is exactly why I find it so hard to believe."

Yuigahama sighs, and her face softens. "Nevermind, Hikki."

Kaa-san, who was chatting away with Komachi for a while now, suddenly speaks up.

"Oh dear. It's getting late. Yuigahama-san, would you like me to take you home?"

Yuigahama suddenly becomes shy. "Ah, no I couldn't. Thank you very much, though."

Kaa-san persists. "No, it's late and I couldn't possibly let you go home on a train at this hour. There are all kinds of shady types on those things."

Yuigahama quickly checks the time on her phone. "Um... are you sure it's fine?" She asks reservedly. You sure changed your tune quickly.

Kaa-san just smiles. "Of course. It's no trouble at all. Komachi, are you ready?"

At the sounds of her name, Komachi snaps to attention. "Huh? No way, I'm staying the night with Onii-chan!"

Oh no you're not. You have school tomorrow. And more importantly, you need dinner and a good bed. Neither of which you will have here.

"Komachi..." Kaa-san's tone implies warning.

"Kaa-chan, please?"

"Absolutely not! You have school tomorrow. Besides, they won't feed you properly here."

Well said Kaa-san. Great minds think alike.

Komachi turns to me. "Onii-chan..."

I pat her head. "Komachi, please go home for tonight. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"But-"

"I'm not gonna die overnight, okay? Come on, I'll worry about you if you don't eat properly."

And with that, she relents. Seems like Onii-chan beam can be just as effective as Imouto beam when it needs to be.

"Fine." She sighs. "See you tomorrow, Onii-chan."

"See you tomorrow, Komachi."

Yuigahama offers a farewell too.

"Byebye, Hikki. I'll see you tomorrow. I'll bring Yukinon, okay?"

"Bye, Yuigahama."

"Hachiman. Get some rest, okay?" Kaa-san says.

"Okay. Bye, Kaa-san."

"Good night, sweetheart."

Urk! "Since when were you the type of mom to say stuff like that?"

She smirks. "Since I almost lost you. Now get some rest, sweetheart."

Yuigahama giggles. I'm pretty sure the second time she said it was just to embarrass me.

Komachi hasn't yet moved.

"Komachi, come on. Hachiman needs his rest." Kaa-san tries to coerce Komachi into leaving.

After a moment of pause, Kaa-san grabs Komachi's hand and starts walking her out.

"Onii-chan, I'll see you tomorrow, okay?" She says as she's being dragged away.

"Okay." I reply monotonously.

"I'll bring you some light novels, okay?" Oh, good idea. I just realized I'm probably going to be pretty bored for most of my stay.

"Ah, thank you."

She's almost out of the doorway when she plants her feet and makes one final declaration.

"Onii-chan, I love youuu!" And then the door shuts and they are effectively gone.

I sigh. Now what am I going to do until tomorrow?

Wait a minute. That damn nurse never came back!

* * *

 **Kind of a sappy chapter, I know. Whatever. Expect more of it. I know there was a whole lot of boring dialogue, but it couldn't be helped. I didn't want to mess with the directive just to add some funny parts.  
**

 **I was originally planning to have a chapter before this one, and it was going to imply that 8man wasn't gonna make it and just sort of show everyone's reactions. I decided to cut it, because I felt like it was just cheap angst. Instead, I'll have the characters recount the four days without 8man throughout the story.**

 **I actually made an effort to do some medical research on bullet wounds for this part, but in the end I decided that the content was so boring that I wanted to skip it and just have somebody summarize it during the story. I just don't want some freelance surgeon telling me Hachiman's injury is biologically impossible or something.  
**

 **As for where in the story this is placed...I was originally thinking some time after Ebina's request, but I decided to put it later in the story just because Yukinoshita didn't really care that much about 8man early in the series. Also, if I had put the story there, that would mean no Irohasu! Blasphemy!  
**

 **On that note, I should advise the readers to have a vague sense of chronology regarding the start of this story. I just happens okay don't think about it too much.**

 **P.S: I had 8man call his mother 'Kaa-san' for a number of reasons. One, I haven't decided if I want to give her a name just yet. Two, I tried to avoid words like 'Mum' or 'Mom' to avoid reading this in the wrong accent.**

 **P.P.S: I haven't forgotten about Intertwined. Not by a long shot. It's just that every time I start writing, I'll get an idea for something else and I can't help but write it out. I've got most of the next chapter already done. I just need to find a good spot to stop, and then proofread it.  
**


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